Chapter 206 : Turbulent Ribenia (4)
Chapter 206: Turbulent Ribenia (4)
The impact of Edel's lengthy speech, delivered without any prior notice, was tremendous.
That was only natural.
Her average ratings in Fame, Politics, Insight, Leadership, Eloquence, and Dignity were all close to A+ Rank, so her speech alone possessed overwhelming persuasive power.
More importantly,
the recent series of events had greatly amplified the weight behind every word she spoke.
"Karbenna will become the spearhead of the coming war."
"It won't necessarily fight on the front lines itself."
"But nothing is more important than testing the training methods and field manuals that will be used during the future total war."
This was also intended to test the transition into a wartime system.
Simply because one academy managed the transition successfully didn't mean the entire nation would.
However,
if even a small organization struggled to change its operational system,
there would be no hope of transforming the Empire's entire economic structure.
"Regardless of whether Princess Rachel or I become Emperor, one thing remains certain."
"The Empire stands on the brink of crisis."
"Training."
"Preparation."
"And change."
"All of them are essential."
"Therefore, regardless of the election's outcome..."
"We will prepare for war."
There was only so much someone like me could accomplish.
I was merely a war hero.
An elite graduate of Karbenna.
At most,
I could expose corruption and guide public opinion.
Raise morale by distinguishing myself on the battlefield.
Propose strategic reforms and revisions to field manuals to prepare for long-term warfare.
Or move people's hearts through heartfelt speeches.
Actually changing institutions—
and moving the majority of the Empire's citizens to follow them—
was impossible for me as I was now.
Only someone possessing status,
authority,
influence,
ability,
and overwhelming charisma could accomplish that.
And among everyone I knew,
Edel Ribenia was the person best suited for exactly that task.
Before she arrived,
the professors had spent several hours arguing over countless issues.
Yet only thirty minutes after Edel began speaking,
every last question disappeared.
Even more astonishing,
over half of them began moving according to the wartime manual as though they had fallen under a spell.
It almost looked less like persuasion...
...and more like brainwashing.
Watching the professors disperse,
I quietly muttered,
"They're accepting it much more readily than I expected."
Michel, standing beside me, answered casually.
"It would've been nice if Karbenna actually had someone bold enough to oppose her."
"I would've agreed before."
"But the situation's too urgent."
"Right now..."
"We need soldiers who obey without unnecessary complaints."
Afterward,
under Edel's leadership,
we began inspecting Karbenna.
By the time Francia and Rubia joined us midway through,
all four main heroines had gathered in one place.
Since they already had a rough idea of what had happened in the Imperial Palace from the press conference and official announcement,
we only explained the latest developments.
"Once Duel Headquarters finishes its preparations, they'll contact Mallet."
"I think it'll be best if you take charge of the handover."
"Leave it to me!"
"You'll join the Imperial Palace after Karbenna's training is mostly complete."
"Until then, focus entirely on the training."
"Understood, Francia?"
"Now we'll finally be able to conduct proper joint training with the Special Task Force."
Afterward,
we inspected the diocesan warehouse behind Building C,
drawing up a list of additional supplies we needed.
While everyone else left to share that list with the Academic Affairs Office and the Training Support Office,
Michel updated us on the latest intelligence.
"...Mastema?"
"Yes."
"Mastema of Hatred."
"An SS-Rank Beast."
"There's a possibility that it was the one that approached Charlotte Platina..."
"...and encouraged her to destroy the Empire."
"...Interesting."
"It previously invaded the Kingdom of Rubea."
"That happened in 1077."
"And historical records state it was driven back in 1080."
Michel's sharp eyes narrowed.
"But..."
"What if it wasn't merely driven back?"
"What if it suffered damage close to total annihilation?"
"In that case..."
"It wouldn't be strange if it made a bargain with a human..."
"...for the sole purpose of destroying the Kingdom..."
"...and the Empire that inherited it."
According to the Mana–Compatible Organism Classification Index first proposed by Duel in 541,
Beasts of C-Rank and below are classified by averaging statistical data from at least ten specimens.
From B-Rank onward,
however,
everything changes.
Every Beast above B-Rank is classified as a High-Rank Beast.
More importantly,
they gain the ability to act independently and command others.
This had become common knowledge through humanity's long history of war against the Beasts.
Knowledge purchased with countless lives.
If you could defeat a B-Rank Beast alone,
people would begin calling you an expert.
The younger you were,
the greater the recognition.
Karen Rosefield was the perfect example.
At only ten years old,
she had torn apart a B-Rank Beast.
An A-Rank Beast was vastly stronger than a B-Rank Beast.
An A+-Rank Beast possessed at least twice the combat power of an ordinary A-Rank Beast.
In reality,
there was almost no difference in combat ability between an A+-Rank Beast and an S-Rank Beast.
The distinction came down to two things:
Experience.
And a name.
For example—
Suppose a B-Rank Werebeast continued growing until it reached A+-Rank,
becoming one of the strongest individuals of its species.
Then,
after accumulating centuries of combat experience while terrorizing humanity...
It would no longer simply be called a Werebeast.
It would become an individual S-Rank Beast bearing its own proper name.
Every named High-Rank Beast in the current era had reached that status through exactly this process.
Beginning with S-Rank,
many Beasts also possessed titles.
These titles were only granted to those with unique characteristics.
For example,
Sabnac—
the S-Rank Beast that had tormented me for an incredibly long time—
possessed the innate ability of incurable wounds.
Because of that,
its title became "The Incurable."
By the time one reached SS-Rank,
there wasn't a single Beast without a title.
Mastema—
Hatred.
Dabios—
Slaughter.
Nibas—
Hallucination.
Belial—
Conspiracy.
Bael—
Sacrifice.
Aporia—
Reversal.
Azidahaka—
Corruption.
Baphomet—
Wisdom.
Lothan—
Jealousy.
Behemoth—
Wrath.
Another eleven SS-Rank Beasts appeared throughout MAGA.
Yet among them,
Mastema stood in a league of its own.
For over a thousand years,
it had relentlessly tormented humanity.
The very symbol of Beasts.
The very symbol of SS-Rank Beasts.
To warn against its influence,
the Ribenian Orthodox Faith used Mastema as the symbol of corruption itself.
Nations where faith in Palladion was widespread held similar beliefs,
viewing it as the leader of the Beast forces.
The damage Mastema alone had inflicted upon humanity equaled that of five ordinary SS-Rank Beasts combined.
The only creature that even came close was the tyrant Azidahaka,
who bore the title "Corruption."
Even in-game,
Mastema had been an overwhelmingly difficult opponent.
It was one of the very few monsters capable of maintaining roughly a fifty-percent win rate even against me—
the strongest veteran player in MAGA.
Having opposed humanity longer than any other Beast,
its accumulated experience was equally monstrous.
Once Mastema chose someone as its target,
escaping it was nearly impossible.
There was even a proverb.
"Humans consumed by hatred inevitably become Mastema's slaves."
"If its resurrection cycle truly lasts around five hundred years..."
"And roughly four hundred years have already passed since it was defeated..."
"Then if it's attempting resurrection through the Chairman of the Platinum Dawn Society..."
"...the damage this incident inflicts upon the Empire..."
"...could surpass even the Great Elbrak Total War."
Michel fell silent.
"...Perhaps..."
"We should've finished that woman back then."
"Whatever bargain she made with Mastema..."
Rubia's words prompted both Edel and me to shake our heads simultaneously.
"We weren't even certain we could kill her."
"And even if we'd succeeded..."
"It probably wouldn't have prevented Mastema's resurrection."
"Regretting the past can wait until after disaster actually strikes."
"Nothing worth worrying about has happened yet."
"And every one of our forces remains intact."
Francia spoke next,
her eyes burning with hostility.
"So..."
"Is this Mastema an even stronger enemy than Dabios was?"
"Do we have any way to defeat it?"
"I was just about to explain that."
Michel replied.
"After searching every document inside the Bernhardt Family..."
"I discovered two weaknesses."
"Compared to other Beasts of the same rank..."
"Its physical durability is relatively low."
"And because its tactics revolve around mental attacks..."
"It's somewhat weaker in close-quarters combat."
Of course,
those hardly counted as weaknesses.
Mastema more than compensated through overwhelming leadership,
judgment,
adaptability,
strategic foresight,
and devastating large-scale abilities.
Rubbing my chin,
I offered my own opinion.
"Like every Beast..."
"Mastema hates humanity."
"But among all of them..."
"It hates us the most."
"It always acts according to long-term strategy rather than short-term gains."
Even if the person it most wanted to tear apart stood right before it,
it would never engage in direct battle unless victory was virtually guaranteed.
It always chose whichever method most certainly exterminated humanity.
That was Mastema's nature.
"So..."
"If a creature like that ever chooses a short, decisive battle..."
"The reason is obvious."
Either...
It believes a short battle gives it a greater chance of victory.
"Or..."
"It has already concluded..."
"...that humanity's defeat is inevitable."
At my words,
everyone's eyes sharpened.
Looking at the four women,
their killing intent blazing openly,
I couldn't help smiling as well.
"Then we'll simply have to prove..."
"...that its conclusion was wrong."
.
.
.
The inspection continued until late in the evening.
To examine as much as possible within the limited time,
Edel even skipped dinner.
Only after carefully inspecting everything—
from the Barrier Formation's structure to the status of personnel currently deployed elsewhere—
did the inspection finally conclude.
"I'll see you next time regarding the Duel matter, Eugene."
At some point,
Edel had begun calling me by my first name.
It wasn't particularly surprising.
If anything,
I was happy about it.
"...Please rest peacefully tonight."
Taking the hand she offered,
I smiled.
Ordinarily,
Edel would've immediately replied,
"How can I rest peacefully when Rachel's assassins could attack at any moment?"
Instead,
to my surprise,
she simply nodded.
After seeing Edel off,
none of us were able to rest.
Michel still had to deal with the mountain of paperwork that had flooded into Karbenna.
Rubia needed to prepare for another trip to Mallet.
The other professors were equally busy,
running around informing the students of the current situation and encouraging them to participate in the training.
Naturally,
I wasn't an exception.
For the first time in quite a while,
I decided to visit the second-year Class Three dormitory and speak with everyone.
Walking toward the dormitory together with Francia,
I asked,
"How's the atmosphere in the dorms these days?"
"The worst it's ever been."
"They still haven't recovered from the aftermath of the Joint War..."
"And now they're about to be forcibly mobilized into an all-out war against the Beasts."
"...I see."
"As for me..."
"I've experienced so many unbelievable things already that this barely surprises me."
"But everyone else..."
"They're completely unprepared."
"Mentally."
"Then I suppose that's where we should start."
"We'll have to help them come to terms with it first."
"...Hearing you say that, Instructor..."
"...is somehow terrifying."
Francia looked at me suspiciously.
I casually threw an arm over her shoulder and quickened my pace.
The clock had just passed eleven at night.